Technology Course Reflection

Throughout this class, I have learned about many great technology tools that I can utilize in my classroom and in the future as an administrator. Technology is a beautiful thing and has the ability to promote active engagement with not only students, but teachers and faculty members too. I plan to choose a few of my favorite tools we discussed through this course and learn more about them to eventually share with my colleagues and students. One of my favorite parts of this course was the Web 2.0 Presentations. I loved listening to my classmates share their tool and their ideas of how to use these in a classroom. I have already began using many of the tools that were shared. I am grateful that I had the opportunity to learn more about technology with Mrs. Sullivan during this course. I feel that I am now better prepared to use technology effectively in my classroom and take my students learning to the next level.

Utilizing Google +

I have really enjoyed learning about Google+ and its features throughout this week. Many of them will be very useful to me as a teacher and future administrator. It is a great tool for collaboration and staying organized. This week I worked with some of my classmates in Dr. Davis' Finance class  and used Google Docs . We worked together using Google Docs to complete both our assigned study guide and final exam. We were assigned 100 questions, so during class we created a Google Doc and each member of the group collaborated to answer the questions. It was very convenient to have real-time updates to catch each others typos. During the process of completing these assignments we had the ability to highlight any questions that we were unsure of so that the other group members could review the question. We also used Google Hangout to review our answers before our final exam and to make sure that we had covered all the questions we were unsure of. I am looking forward to using the Google+ tools in the future t help me collaborate with my colleagues and stay organized!

How can teachers use technology to enhance professional growth?

There are many ways that teachers can use technology to enhance professional growth. One way is by taking part in online professional development or college courses. Last year I had the opportunity to take part in an online website professional development course that was held by Madison County. This was a very easy and convenient way for me to learn more about how to work our county wide website program. Online college courses are a great way for busy teachers to further their education. By taking part in online college courses, they are provided a non-traditional way to obtain higher education degrees and certifications at their own pace.Teachers can also host or follow other teacher blogs. This is one of my favorite resources as a teacher. I follow over 100 teacher blogs to get ideas for my classroom and use the BlogLovin' app that makes it very easy for me to scan through and read these blogs quickly. I have found ideas for decorating my classroom, lesson plans, and other teachers fresh perspectives on teaching techniques. When it comes to technology, the possibilities of professional growth are endless and a resource we should take advantage of to further our professional growth. 

Rising Star....

 

 

Last week my "student choice"  post had NOTHING to technology, so tonight I thought I would try to fit it in somewhere! ;-) Right now I'm watching a new singing show called "Rising Star" and the concept is pretty cool. This show has completely reinvented the traditional singing competition where the audience has the final say in whether the contestant stays in real time. During the performances, (insert technology bit of the post) the show viewers vote via an App to determine if the singer will advance in the competition. If the voting reaches a certain threshold, the performer moves on to the next stage of the competition. Pretty cool how they have put a new spin on a singing contest by integrating technology! Oh, and Josh Groban is the host! Not only is he really pretty to look at, his voice is phenomenal! Crossing my fingers he sings at some point during the season!  

 

Thanks for reading!

 



 

Response to "Using Technology to Create Student-Centered Learning Environment" Article

Technology has become the new buzz word in education. With technology becoming a huge priority for school systems, the technology resources that we have available give our students many opportunities for improved learning. This article addresses how our instructional teaching strategies have been modified and enhanced by leaving the "traditional teacher-centric" teaching method and allowing our students to have an active role in their learning that is technology based. There are many ways that technology can help to create a more student-centered classroom. In my experience as a teacher, technology has been a great assessment tool for both me and the students and it has also helped the students to take responsibility for their learning. I agree that this method is not the easiest. It is easier for us to be the leaders of learning, rather than the facilitators. We teachers like to have control and it is sometimes hard to let that go. Although integrating technology within the classroom requires more time and effort, the outcome is worth it when our student's learning is improved by being more engaged in classroom activities. 

What's on my mind...

What's on my mind tonight? Well, I got an awesome deal on a new vehicle yesterday and I am pretty pumped about it! Not to mention there are some pretty cool technology upgrades that came along with it too! ;-) 

Isn't she a beauty?!

Thanks for reading! 

How Technology Can Improve Student Centered Learing

As educators, we are always trying to improve education to meet the needs of our students. Technology is booming and has become a huge focus for school systems over the past few years. Technology integration encourages active engagement in the classroom and also helps students to connect to real-world topics and experts. There are many ways that technology can support and improve student centered learning, such as individualizing and personalizing student learning, assessing individual student's progress in all subjects, project-based and research learning opportunities, and students can even have the opportunity to present cross curricular content in alternative ways. However, there are some challenges that educators have to overcome to integrate technology successfully. Many teachers lack confidence in their technology skills and those who do use technology do so to present information to their students rather than to provide hand-on learning opportunities for their students. Also, there may be too little technology resources available for students to utilize with their students due to the lack of funding.  I believe that integrating technology within the classroom is a process that has to happen slowly over time. With the right resources and professional development, technology is a great source educators can use to improve student centered learning.